Private Label Footwear Size Run: Which Sizes Should Indian D2C Brands Order First?
Updated: 20 hours ago
For a first private label footwear size run, most Indian D2C brands should order whole UK/India sizes only, weighted towards their best-selling middle sizes rather than split equally, and approve a size-set sample before bulk. Indian footwear is still labelled on the UK system; the proposed Indian Bha sizing system has not been made mandatory as of October 2026.
Key Takeaways
India has used UK-based shoe sizing since about 1963, according to The Week, and the BIS standard for footwear sizes and fittings, IS 1638:1969, lists no amendments.
The proposed Bha system is based on 3D foot scans of 101,880 people at 79 locations between December 2021 and March 2022, and proposes eight sizes with no half sizes (Business Standard).
Updated October 2026: we found no notification making Bha mandatory; it was sent to BIS for approval, and an MP has urged the government to notify it (Lok Sabha record).
One UK size step is 1/3 inch (about 8.5 mm) and one EU Paris point is 2/3 cm (about 6.7 mm), so UK and EU sizes do not convert one-to-one (shoe size reference).
Sanwas International's MOQ is under 500 units per style, and the split across sizes and colours is agreed at quotation.
Which shoe size system should an Indian brand use: UK, EU or Bha?
Use UK/India sizes for a domestic launch, and add EU sizes only if you export. Indian shoppers already read UK numbers, although the same number can fit differently between brands: Bata, for example, built its own variant by altering the width of UK or US sizes, as The Week reported. That is why your factory needs your own size chart or reference shoe, not just the size number.
System | Size step | Where you will see it | What it means for a first run |
UK / India | 1/3 inch (about 8.5 mm) per full size | Standard labelling for footwear sold in India | The default for a domestic D2C or retail launch |
EU (Paris point) | 2/3 cm (about 6.7 mm) per size | European export orders and some marketplaces | Useful as a second label if you sell abroad; conversion is not exact |
US | Same step as UK; men's US numbers are usually about one above UK | US-facing brands and marketplaces | Only needed for US export |
Bha (proposed) | Eight sizes, no half sizes | Proposed by CSIR-CLRI; awaiting BIS approval | Monitor BIS notifications; no need to switch today |
What is the Bha shoe size system, and is it mandatory yet?
Bha (short for Bharat) is an India-specific sizing system proposed by CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, and it is not yet mandatory. CLRI scanned the feet of 101,880 people across 79 locations and found that Indian feet tend to be wider than European or American feet, according to Business Standard. The recommendations went to DPIIT, which forwarded them to the Bureau of Indian Standards for approval.
The developers hoped to implement Bha during 2025, as reported in the SATRA Bulletin. As of October 2026 we could not find a BIS notification that makes it compulsory, and a Member of Parliament has asked the government to notify it as a national standard with a phased roadmap. For brands, the practical move is to keep UK sizing for now and design boxes and labels so the size field can change later.
How do you build a size ratio for a first private-label run?
Weight the order towards your middle sizes using your own sales or customer data, then confirm the quantity per size with the factory in writing. An equal split across every size is the most common way to end up with unsold small and large pairs. Work through these steps:
Pick the size range: for example UK 6 to 11 for a men's style, and decide whether half sizes are needed at all.
Pull size data from what you already sell, marketplace orders, pre-orders or a customer survey, and note returns marked too small or too big.
Turn that data into a ratio, such as 1:2:3:3:2:1, and multiply it out to your order quantity.
Check that the per-size quantities make sense for the leather, sole and last sizes the factory has to buy or make.
Write the final quantity per size, per colour, into the purchase order and the quotation.
Here is the arithmetic for an illustrative 300-pair men's style using a 1:2:3:3:2:1 ratio. It is an example of the method, not a market benchmark; your own data should set the ratio.
UK size | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
Ratio | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Pairs (of 300) | 25 | 50 | 75 | 75 | 50 | 25 |
Remember that each size needs its own last, and usually its own sole size, graded from the base size. If the factory already holds a graded last range close to your shape, sampling is faster than building a new last set from scratch.
Do Indian customers need a wider fitting?
Often, yes, so check width on fit samples rather than relying on length alone. The CLRI survey found Indian feet are generally wider than Western feet, and The Week noted that many people buy a larger size just to get enough width at the front of the foot. Ask your factory which last widths it offers, wear-test the base-size sample on real customers, and look closely at the toe box and joint area before you approve.
What should you send the factory about sizes before sampling?
Send a size brief with the range, ratio, fitting and labelling, so the sample and quotation are built around it. Include:
Your size chart or a reference shoe that fits the way you want, plus the base sample size.
Size range, whether half sizes are included, and the quantity per size per colour.
Fitting or width preference and any target foot measurements.
Size labelling: UK only or UK plus EU, and where the size is printed (insole, inside quarter, box).
Box and label artwork; our guide to Legal Metrology labelling for footwear boxes in India covers the box declarations.
If you are planning the whole launch, our checklist for launching a leather footwear brand in India covers GST, BIS and branding alongside sizing.
How Sanwas International works with brands
Sanwas International is an LWG-certified OEM and private label leather manufacturer based in Jalandhar, Punjab, India, producing footwear, outerwear, furniture leather and hides for brands in India and worldwide. For private label footwear, we work from your size chart or reference shoe, with an MOQ under 500 units per style, sampling from 72 hours, bulk production from 30 days and AQL inspection before dispatch. Browse our men's leather footwear for styles you can build a range around, or request a quote with your size run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my Indian shoe brand label sizes in UK, EU or the new Bha system?
For a domestic launch, label in UK/India sizes, because that is the system Indian customers and retailers already use. Add EU sizes as a second label only if you plan to export or sell on platforms that show them. Bha is still a proposal, so there is no need to relabel a first run in Bha today.
Is the Bha shoe size system mandatory for footwear brands in India yet?
Not as of October 2026, as far as we could find. CSIR-CLRI's recommendations were forwarded to the Bureau of Indian Standards for approval, and a Member of Parliament has urged the government to notify Bha as a national standard. Keep an eye on BIS announcements before you reprint size labels or boxes.
Can I order just 150 pairs across five sizes for my D2C brand's first leather shoe style?
Often yes, depending on the style and leather. Sanwas International works with an MOQ under 500 units per style, and the quantity per size is confirmed in the quotation together with the colour split. Share your proposed ratio at enquiry so the quote and leather purchase are planned around it.
What is a size-set sample in footwear manufacturing?
A size-set sample is a pair made in several sizes across your run, usually the smallest, a middle size and the largest, after the base-size fit sample is approved. It checks that the last, pattern and sole grade correctly up and down the range. Approving it before bulk avoids discovering that only the middle sizes fit.
Do I need half sizes in my first private-label shoe run?
Usually not. Each half size adds another last size, another sole size and another SKU to stock, which spreads a small order thinly. Many first runs stick to whole sizes and add half sizes later where returns or customer feedback show a clear need; the proposed Bha system also drops half sizes.
Planning Your First Private-Label Shoe Run? Get a Size-Run Quote
Indian D2C brands, retailers, wholesalers and sourcing teams can share the style, leather type, size range and ratio, target quantity per style, delivery city and target launch date. Sanwas International supplies brands across India as well as exporting worldwide.
Include these details in your enquiry:
Product category and style (footwear, jacket, upholstery leather, hides or crust)
Leather type, finish and colour
Target quantity per style and colour
Delivery city in India or destination country, plus preferred Incoterm
Target delivery date and whether you need a sample before bulk
Contact Sanwas International
Mob: +91 8728858686
Address: 308 Leather Complex, Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar, Punjab 144002, India
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